About Paul Lew
I am a pioneering industrial designer, inventor, and manufacturer with more than three decades of experience creating high-performance products across aviation (unmanned aerial systems), aerospace, automotive, and cycle sport industries.
Summary
In 1989, I founded Lew Composites in Las Vegas, which specialized in high-performance carbon-composite products for cycling, aviation, aerospace, and automotive applications. The company grew rapidly and became a public company known as Lew Corp. After taking the company public, I continued developing my separate unmanned aerial systems business under Lew Aerospace, Inc. (founded 1999). Following the transition period at Lew Corp, I focused full-time on growing Lew Aerospace.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
I designed and manufactured the Inventus Unmanned Aerial System, a long-endurance reconnaissance drone that served an expansive list of U.S. Government and defense clients. I have accumulated 27 years of hands-on experience in UAS design, manufacturing, and operations, logging over 6,700 hours of operation, testing, and evaluation plus 2,400 mission-specific flight hours on restricted U.S. Government ranges under FAA Certificates of Authorization.
I was a charter member of NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) program (2015–2026) and a charter member of the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS), Nevada’s designated FAA UAS Test Site operator. I also served as full-time Flight Operations Advisor and consultant to Skyward.io (2012–2017), helping develop their enterprise drone management platform prior to its acquisition by Verizon.
Today, I serve as Founder & Principal of AV8, a Nevada-based unmanned aerial systems consulting and manufacturing company. I partner with U.S. Government suppliers and commercial enterprises to develop advanced drone solutions for defense, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and specialized industrial applications.
Cycling Industry Leadership
In parallel with my aerospace work, I continued to shape the cycling industry at the highest levels. I served as Vice Chairman of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Wheel Committee (headquartered in Aigle, Switzerland). I later served as Partner & CEO of EDCO USA (2016) and Global CEO of the restructured EDCO brand (2017), where I led the U.S. expansion of the 115-year-old Swiss cycling components company and acquired/directed the FASTER Cycling Performance Center — the world’s first low-speed wind tunnel purpose-built exclusively for cycling product development.
I also served as Director of Technology & Innovation at Reynolds Cycling, where I led the development of advanced aerodynamic carbon wheels for the Reynolds brand. Earlier, I had returned to the cycling market by founding Lew Racing, which produced the PRO VT-1 — the lightest production wheelset in the world at the time. Lew Racing was later acquired by MacLean Investment Partners and integrated into Reynolds Cycling. In addition, I designed and developed carbon wheels and components for other major brands including Shimano and Campagnolo.
I served as a member of ISO/TC 149/SC 1 focused on ISO 4210 (safety requirements for bicycles) and as Vice Chairman of ISO/TC 31/SC 10/WG 16 (2012–2016), the working group responsible for international standards on bicycle tire designations, dimensions, and rim compatibility (ISO 5775 series).
Patents, Expertise & Background
I hold 22 U.S. patents (plus 8 European and Taiwanese patents and 3 trademarks) and bring deep expertise in advanced composites, aerodynamics, product development, and operational testing. A former professional triathlete who began racing in 1986 and a U.S. Navy veteran, I approach every project with the same discipline, precision, and performance-driven mindset that defined my athletic and military background.
Over the course of my career, I have designed and manufactured a wide array of advanced carbon-composite products that achieved both U.S. and international commercial success. Whether developing next-generation UAS platforms or pushing the limits of carbon-fiber technology in cycling and motorsport, my goal remains the same: to create products that are lighter, stronger, faster, and more capable.
Please visit my Portfolio page to review detailed examples of my work.
